I Won't Do It! You Can't Make Me!
by VashandNaomiForever
Summary: Eiko coming of age, getting suitors, not wanting anything to do with this romance bull, when Regent Cid and Hilda get fet up and arrange her to be engaged to someone who feels the same way about love...EikoxPuck! R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**I Don't Want To! You Can't Make Me!**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything FFiX.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Complained the annoyed Eiko. She was decked out in a frilly, puffy purple dress, sitting at a table, learning how to dine properly.

"Oh Eiko, you know your father and I want what's best for you." Hilda would tell her. 

Eiko would sigh and roll her eyes. All of a sudden, since she had turned thirteen, her parents had been drilling etiquette and finesse into her brain to much that it was giving her a headache. Gone were her days of exploring the world and going on adventures. Now all she was allowed to do was travel with her father to Alexandria to see Garnet. Big whoop. She use to be able to walk the street among the city folk, and now she was just allowed to stay with in the Alexandrian castle. What was going on? Eiko had no clue, but she was getting pretty sick and tired of all this nonsense! 

At least when she was at the castle in Alexandria, she had Zidane to hang out with. He was even giving her lessons on how to use real weapons, other than her summoning powers. She was getting better at how to use a dagger, but still had a lot to learn. She'd rather be learning fighting skills than this boring princess shit.

Looking up at her mother, watching her reaction as she picked up her silverware the correct way, her mind wandered to how Puck was doing. When she was younger, and her family had visited Garnet regularly, Eiko would go and play with him. They had become close friends, but now she never saw him. He was most likely out in the world having adventures! The lucky rat! Oh well...what could she really do about it? Eiko supposed she'd just keep up with this stupid lessons, if it made her parents happy, and wait till they'd get tired of teaching her. 

As the years went by, no such luck had come to Eiko in her wish for the end of her princess lessons. When she had hit the age of seventeen, she had gotten all that princess bullshit down and was bored whenever her mother went over things that she already knew. One day, she was bold enough to ask her mother, "When can I stop doing this nonsense?" Her mother got a hurt look upon her face and told her that if she really hated it so much, then she didn't have to do them any more. Too late now, she knew all that they wanted her to learn about being polite and mannered. 

Just because she knew how to behave correctly, doesn't mean she really put her knowledge to use. She was still the outspoken, bold, daring, defiant girl she had always been. Over the years, her training with Zidane every weekend had paid off. She was now fully skilled with a dagger, and was also informed with martial arts skills as well. Her parents weren't that proud of her fighting skills, they were more interested in finding her a beau, which she protested with all her might.

"I will have _no_ man by _my_ side." She informed them. They'd ask her why she felt that way, but she'd just give them silence. So for a while they had let up on finding her a boy, until the day of her seventeenth birthday. That's when all the suitors had come along. Eiko gave them hell, and was quite excellent at scaring them off after about the first six or so she was a natural at it. She'd use her summoning powers on them when no one was around and frighten the crap outta them! Or if that didn't work she'd talk of really gross things while they were on a 'date' like sheep intestines and chocobo brains. Very unlady like, which all the noble boys detested and held their noses up at. They'd leave the castle and with their departure her parents would silently wonder what had caused this quick escape.

Then one day, something unexpected happened...

"Eiko, if you do not find a suitor by your eighteenth birthday, we will make you an arranged marriage." Her parents told her.

Eiko took no heed to this warning, and kept on scaring away her suitors. Her parents, all the while, making arrangements with a kingdom with a stubborn prince as well. They arranged that if both children had not given in to a suitor, then they should be engaged and nothing would break their bond. So it was decided, Eiko would marry Prince ...

--------

"Puck! I have some news!" The king of Burmecia told his son.

"What is it now?" Whined the bored son.

"You are to be engaged!" Answered the king.

"What? No way." Said the prince.

"Indeed, by your eighteenth birthday, you will be formally a couple! Due to be wed!" Smiled the happy king.

"And if I refuse?" Answered the arrogant prince.

"You would bring war upon our country! This is a bonding of two nations, dear boy! With this marriage, two nations will be joined together as one!" Answered the king.

"And what nations is my supposed bride from?" Asked the annoyed prince.

"Lindblum."

Right away, Puck knew which girl he was intended to marry, and he fell to the ground in shock.

"Are you alright!" Asked the worried king.

"Eiko?" Asked the bewildered prince.

"Well, yes." Answered the king, "You know of her then?" He asked.

"Yes...we played together as kids...won't she be surprised...To see me like I am today? I still remember the day you told me...When I woke up with a new face...I remember your words so clearly...about mother and how you had found her on the shore of an island when you were traveling the sea. She was an enchantress, beautiful as can be...but to the people of Burmecia, to have a queen like that would be considered..."

----------

"Not good enough, Eiko! Try harder! It's like your not even trying!" Spoke Zidane as Eiko practiced fighting. With a jab to the wide open stomach area, Eiko was down for the count and Zidane was shaking his head at her. "Why are you so off balance today?" He asked her, helping her to her feet.

"You got me..." She said, breathing heavy from the training they had done all day. 

"So your birthday is coming up, you excited?" Zidane asked her.

Eiko stopped breathing heavily and bowed her head in silence, "No."

"Why not?" Asked the curious Zidane.

"Mom and Dad...Said if I didn't have a suitor by my eighteenth...They'd arrange a marriage for me." 

"Eeek! That sounds rotten..." Replied Zidane. "Sorry E...But it was bound to happen."

"Garnet isn't married, so why do I have to?" Eiko asked him. 

It was Zidane's turn to become silent as the grave, "It's different...Garnet has no parents to tell her what to do...and no one she'd like to marry."

"Oh Zidane, you know she'd marry you in a heartbeat! If only..."

"I know, if only I was of royal blood." Zidane replied. "But anyways...I wouldn't worry too much about it. You're parents know you pretty well, they'll find you someone good. Just wait and see!" He said, putting on a cheerier tone.

------------

"I'm surprised you remembered that story." Said the king to his son.

"How could I not? You told me to explain why I looked more human when I turned sixteen. Her enchantress power she had was used to make her appear like one of Burmecia blood. When I was born, her magic seal protected me in that form until I turned the age of manhood." He smiled at the memory of it.

"Yes, you look more like her now, more than me...You have her sea green eyes and light sandy hair..." His father remarked.

"So when is her birthday?" He asked his father.

"In two days..." He answered, "You'd best start your way towards lindblum so that you arrive to her party on time." 

Puck sighed, but nodded his head in agreement. His father wasn't getting any younger, and he was his only son. At least Puck had gotten the chance to see the world and travel a lot when he was younger. Now he'd be able to settle down for once..._maybe_.

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	2. Chapter 2

**I Don't Want To! You Can't Make Me!**

Disclaimer: I do not own anything legally binding that deals with FFix.

One more day until Eiko's eighteenth birthday, and Puck had arrived early to join in the annual Master Hunter festival. It happened once a year, you were to take part in fighting monsters, and got points for each one slain. The person with the most points won. Puck was thrilled, he had never participated in this before, and could hardly wait for it to start...

"But why not?!" Complained the annoyed Eiko.

"You can't participate! And that's final!" Scolded Regent Cid, "I won't have my daughter fight like some blood thirsty slayer! You can watch all you like, but you _can not_ participate!"

With a death glare, Eiko ran from her father's chamber and into her own room. With in the privacy of her domain, Eiko got out a pair of brown leather pants, white cotton shirt, and a matching brown vest. Taking her long, purple hair, she tied it back like her friend Zidane and hid it beneath a boy's cap. Taking out her daggers, and putting them in their sheaths, she slipped on light leather boots, and matching gloves. Eiko was now undercover and ready to enter the competition. Sneaking out her window, and jumping stealthily from stone to stone, Eiko made her way silently and unseen out of the castle and into the city...

"Come sign up here for the tournament! The winner gets 10,000 gil and phoenix pinion! And of course the title of Master Hunter! Come one come all!" Cried a man signing in men who were interested in the competition. Puck made his way over and began to fill out a slip of paper with his name and age, and was bumped into by some kid, "Watch it!" Puck said.

"_You_ watch it!" Said the other one back, face hidden beneath the kid's cap.

"Big talk for a little squirt. What are you doing here anyway? Didn't you know _girl's_ aren't allowed to be in the tournament?" Puck teased.

The kid tensed up at first and then shrugged Puck's comment off, "I bet I could beat your score any day." He told Puck.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"You're on!" Glared Puck, "Don't puss out on me kid." He told him as he walked off to go get ready for the soon to happen tournament.

The lad watched as Puck walked off, leaving him to wonder silently to himself until he heard the sign up dude say time was almost up for signing in. Bringing the kid back to reality, he hurriedly signed up and handed the slip to the man, "Thank you mister...Erro." The kid nodded and headed off to wait for the tournament to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready to see who will be this years Master Hunter?" The announcer spoke into an intercom for all to hear. A big roar of applaud came with the audience's answer, "Let the hunt, BEGIN!" And so, the hunt started and monsters were released within the city of Lindblum. Regent Cid and his wife Hilda were among the crowd watching as some men were victorious while others..."AH MY LEG!!" ...Were not as lucky.

The audience's eyes were mostly on a new contestant, who's fierceness in battle matched his incredibly good looks. As the man sliced down two monsters at once with his metallic blue sword, the viewers noticed another lad, doing just as well defeating the monsters. With grace and stamina, the young lad flew into the air and came down on the monster's back, stabbing his daggers deeply within the fiend's neck. Bringing the monster down, the lad looked to the other contestant with what seemed to be jealousy as the lad came soaring on quick feet towards the other.

The audience watched as the two began to bicker, then they started to push each other, then they were about to fight each other with their weapons, when the biggest monster of them all came upon the pair. Letting the argument go, the turned on the monster and began to fight against it together. This particular monster was as big as a house and was strong as Buhumet himself! As the two stabbed at the creature, it seemed unfazed by their attacks, as if they were just tickling the thing. With a mighty heave, the monster took it's long tusks and flung both the men up into the air and a loud 'thump' was heard when the bodies hit the hard ground.

The young lad was the first to get up, while the sword wielding man was taking his time. The young kid ran and jumped into the air, trying to land upon the creatures back and silence him for good, but to no avail. The monster side stepped, making the kid lose it's target all together and land on the opposite side of the animal. The sword carrying man was up and ready to attack when the kid got into his way and tried once again to stab the creature by jumping on his back.

When the creature stepped aside, the lad took his dagger and dug into the monsters side and began to climb up the monsters back. With a loud roar of pain, the monster began to run wildly around, bucking and kicking, trying desperately to get the kid off him. The man with the sword was chased around by the angry creature and was almost stomped on until the lad had taken his daggers and stabbed deep within the creature's neck. Taking advantage of the monsters stillness, the man with the sword jumped nimbly upon the creature's back and took his sword and whispered something. The steel began to grow blue flames upon it as the man pulled back his weapon and sliced the monsters head completely off.

The crowd went wild at the stranger's victory, while the lad who had fought with him only gave a frown.

"He was dead before you sliced his head off." He told him.

"No he wasn't. Mine was the final blow. My sword killed him, while your daggers stunned him." Puck told the kid.

"My daggers went into his neck! They silenced him for good, then you came along and sliced the head completely off and took credit for my kill!" The lad yelled at the older male.

"I'm not going to argue with you, the Regent will decide who the winner between the two of us really is." Puck told him as they both were taken to the castle and the Regent's chamber.

The kid lowered his hat even more over his face as they walked over to the Regent.

"Well done, both of you!" Cid congratulated them. "Now we have the tally of both your points here...and we gave you both half of what the final monsters points were...and the winner is...Mister Erro." Cid looked up from his paper and smiled at the young lad. "Come here and let me give you your prize." Cid told him, beckoning him forward.

The kid stood there for a moment, then walked slowly over to the Regent, keeping his head down. Puck watched with suspiciousness as the kid went up to the regent. Why was he hiding his face? Was he really a convict? Or some type of thief that was wanted throughout the nation? As the Regent was about to hand the kid his prize, Puck walked right up to the kid and took off his hat.

The room got really quiet as long purple locks escaped from the hold of the hat and now a very pretty girl's face was seen by everyone. The Regent's face became tomato red as he glared at the girl, "Eiko! You were told..."

"But father..." The girl began.

"You are disqualified! This young man behind you is the true and _honest_ winner of this years Master Hunter competition. I'm sorry for the trouble my daughter might have caused you, sir." Cid said, feeling embarrassed about his daughters behavior. Puck watched as the girl began to slink away from Cid, but was caught by the hair and dragged back, "APPOLIGISE!" He commanded as the girl looked down at the floor. Silence was all to be heard for a long time as everyone waited for the girl to speak.

When Puck had had enough of waiting, he told the Regent, "It's alright, I could see why she'd want to partake in it. It's quite a fun event. There's no need for an apology"

"Good, because you weren't going to get one in the first place!" Eiko yelled as she yanked her hair out of her father's grip and ran from the room.

"Shall we capture her...?" The guards asked the rather annoyed Cid.

"Of course not! She's my daughter, not a prisoner!" Cid yelled at the cowering guards. Putting his attention back on Puck, Cid forced a smile and handed him his prize. "Please, excuse her for her rudeness."

Puck nodded his head as he took the gifts from the Regent. "It's fine, really." He told him. With one last congratulations, Cid left Puck and, most likely, headed out to find his daughter. Puck left the castle, not even telling Cid or anyone his name, and went to an Inn. He'd surprise them tomorrow at Eiko's birthday party. As Puck took his tired body to bed, he hoped Eiko wouldn't get too much shit from her nagging parents...

Eiko was in her room, packing, when she heard her father's footsteps coming. Quickly she hid her items of escape under her bed and went off onto the terrace, looking out at the city. She heard the angry slam of the door as her father entered. With loud, stomping footsteps, he came to her and Eiko flinched for what was coming.

"I have _never_..." He began, taking a clump of her hair in his hand rolling it around in his fist, "Been so _insulted_..." He then yanked her head back and brought her little body to the ground, "In my _Entire_ _Life!_" He picked her off the ground by the hair and dragged her to her bed. "You are to _stay_ in your room..." He said, slamming her body onto the bed, "And not come out until _summoned_..." He yanked her hair one last time, for good measure, then left her laying, face first, on her bed. With the noise of the slam from her door, Eiko knew she was safe from her fathers anger as she got off the bed and looked into the mirror.

"You've caused me only pain and suffering, stupid hair..." She whispered as she got out a pair of scissors, "Time for change." She stated as she cut her long hair off and gave herself a hair cut even shorter then Garnet's had been. With skillful hands, she cut the back of her hair extremely short, while she left her bangs hang down to the middle of her ears. Never again would she stand for this treatment. Never being able to do what she _really_ wanted with out being reprimanded by her father. Her poor mother didn't even know about his harsh behavior towards her...

With one last look in the mirror, Eiko went and got her supplies out from underneath the bed and went out to the terrace. Wearing a dark cloak, she shimmied down the walls with cat like reflexes as she made her escape. First she would have a good, sound sleep at the Inn, then when morning came, she'd be out of here. Blending in with the crowd, she made her way stealthily to the Inn without being followed or so she thought. Buying a room, she went up stairs and took to her room. With a sigh of relief she placed her things close to the bed and took off her cloak. Walking over to the mirror, she smiled at her new reflection. She looked more like a boy than a girl now...She noticed there was a side door in her room, and guessed it was the bathroom. She walked over and went inside.

Puck awoke in the middle of the night when he heard someone come into his room from the side door. Taking his dagger he had by his bed, he slowly, and quietly, got out of bed and stood within the darkness of his room, waiting to see the outline of his intruder. He heard the person before he saw them, something about 'This doesn't look like a bathroom...' When he pounced on the unknown voice.

Grabbing the person by the middle and holding them tightly with one hand, he took the other and held the dagger close to the intruders throat, "Who sent you?"

With in a flash the person took their elbow and jabbed Puck harshly in the ribs, making his balance slip so the other grabbed the dagger away from him. There was a long struggle between the two, and was taken the floor as Puck threw the dagger away from the person and pinned the prick to the ground. Holding down the person's arms and pinning down the legs with his thighs, Puck asked him "Who are you?"

The person only thrashed about in rage as Puck almost lost his balance again, he slipped down and smelt the person's hair, "...You smell like a girl." He spoke, cocking his head to the side.

"Maybe cause I _am_ one!" The other yelled as Puck got up and turned on a lamp. A girl with really short purple hair was back against the wall, holding the dagger, and glaring up at him.

Puck stared with curious eyes as he walked up to her, making her uneasy. "Eiko?" He asked her.

"That's my name, who the hell are you?" She barked at him, still clutching the dagger in her hand, ready if he decided to fight her again.

"It's me, Puck." He told her, which he got a 'Yeah right' look from the other.

"Puck is a rat prince from Burmecia, try another lie." She told him. Puck began to laugh at her and shake his head.

"I knew, you wouldn't believe me...I've changed so much over the years...But it's really me...Now how do I make you believe me?" He pondered as he paced his room, thoughtful look upon his handsome mug.

"Hey...remember when we were 12?...And we were on the roof of some house in Alexandria, watching that play..." He began, moving closer to her, making her move side to side against the wall.

"I asked you what you thought of the play, and you were crying..." Puck said, reaching out and taking the dagger away from her and placing it on his bed. "You wouldn't answer me, so I kept trying to get it out of you..." Puck continued, walked up to her, getting closer and closer.

"Then, I couldn't stand to see you cry anymore, so I leaned over..." He was now directly in front of her, Eiko looked up at him with shocked, and worried eyes. She didn't like how this was going. "And kissed you." He said, making her stop fidgeting and he now was only inches away from her face.

"You could have been a creepy kid, spying on me and Puck!" She told him, still trying to dismiss his knowledge of her past and Puck's.

"Maybe, this will make you believe." And like that, Puck leaned in and kissed her. Eiko's mind was frantic with annoyance and rage as this stranger kissed her. Who did he think he was? Like she really cared! She was going to give this guy a piece of her mind...right after she got control of her own body.

It was so unlike her, Eiko was not only allowing him to place his lips against hers, but she was actually kissing him back! The nerve of that guy! Look at what he was doing to her! He was changing her look on romance with just one little peck on the lips...SHIT! Now he was bringing his tongue into the equation! What was going on here? Why wasn't Eiko thinking with her head? Stupid heart! Don't you know all you cause is pain in the end? ..Great! Just great! Now he's got his hands on her! What's next, a little rummage beneath the covers?...SHIT!

Puck was now picking her up, his lips still locked with hers, and taking her to bed, when Eiko's head won the battle with her heart. She stopped kissing him and pushed herself out of his arms, making her land roughly on the wooden floor. Quickly she got up and looked at him with big innocent eyes, "Ok, so I believe you're Puck, but that doesn't mean I'm going to...to..." She trailed off and he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry...it's just...you were the first girl I ever kissed...and when you kissed me back just now...I guess I just wasn't thinking straight."

'_You can say that again!_' Thought Eiko as she looked up at Puck. "It's alright, just don't do it again." She told him. Puck was brought back to reality when she said this and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Eiko shrugged her shoulders and walked away from his touch and looked out his window, "Cause."

Puck rolled his eyes, "Not this again. Because why?" He asked her, moving closer to her.

"Because, alright? Just...Because." Eiko really didn't want to get into the subject of her father's abuse with Puck and drag him into her own troubles. Eiko had to be tough and take care of herself from now on.

Puck sighed and walked to her, so that he was now to her right side, "It's me, isn't it?...You knew _I_ was coming, and didn't want anything to do with me..." He hung his head in sadness. "I understand, really, I do. I didn't want to get hitched, too, you know?...But when my Dad told me it was you...then I wasn't as afraid or angry...I mean, I know you...At least I use to know you...You wouldn't be some stranger I was with...But I guess, you still aren't interested." He told her.

Eiko shrugged her shoulder, "It's not you completely, It's just the business of marriage. It's not for me, I'm not ready to be a wife. I still want to travel the world, see sights, find out who I really am. Figure out what I want out of life...But my parents won't let me, or give me that chance...So I left." There, Eiko had said it, in no so much of a 'I'm running away forever because my Dad's a total _prick_ behind closed doors.'

Puck looked at her with understanding, "I know what you mean, I at least, got to go do that when I was young. You never got to, only that one journey with the Queen and Vivi." Puck said, watching her with curious eyes, "How bout...we go together. Try to see how we like being in each other's company. Go where you want to go, do what you want to do, just together. What do you say?" He asked her.

Eiko thought this over for a moment, biting her lip in concentration. Puck laughed silently as he watched her thinking process. She really was funny, cute, attractive,...Why was he looking at her boobs? He shook his head from the smut he had had in his twisted little mind. God, he was so annoying to himself sometimes. Damn hormones! Suddenly Eiko told him her answer.

"We can travel together, on one condition."

"What's that?" Puck asked her.

"When I speak to you from now on, look at me in the face, not my rack." With a blush, Puck nodded his head in agreement.

"Also, we can't travel on this continent, we're going to go to different ones. So that nobody finds us. Got it?" She told him.

Puck agreed, and looked at the clock, "It's kinda late, think we ought to sleep a few hours before we head out. By the way, what's our means of travel?" He asked her.

"Oh, I've got something arranged." Was all she'd tell him as Eiko walked back to her room for some much needed rest.


	3. Chapter 3

**I Don't Want To! You Can't Make Me!**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything legally binding that deals with FFIX.

"What is this place?" Puck asked as Eiko led him along a wooded path.

"It's called Pinnacle Rocks, I come here to get away for a little while." She said, taking a look back. It felt like they were being followed...but she didn't see anyone, or notice movement within the trees. Just a gut feeling. Eiko dismissed this thought for the moment, and returned to the business at hand.

"Our transportation around the world is hidden in here." She told him, making her way to a huge tree with it's branches hanging down extremely low, seeming to be hiding something. Eiko lifted the cascade of leaves away and walked underneath the branch.

"Whoa..." Puck said in awe as he took in what they'd be traveling in.

"Cool huh?" Eiko smirked, looking proudly at her slender air ship she had constructed on her own. "I sort of followed my dad's footsteps when it came to building air ships. Mine's a bit more sleek though." She said, looking over her machine. It had started as just a piece of scrap, and over the years, Eiko had made it into her own, private ship. It didn't have the big balloon like structure of most ships, it was more high tech than that. (You know that ship Zorn and Thorn had that got jacked by Black Waltz 3? Think of that on steroids.)

"How long did it take you to build it?" Puck asked her, as she began to hop into the machine, beckoning him to follow.

"Oh, about five years." Eiko said, shrugging the question off, "Lets get going, they probably already know I'm not in the castle, they'll be searching for me."

So, Puck jumped into the ship, and Eiko started it up. "Where to first?" Puck asked.

"I was thinking of stopping by Daguerreo." Eiko said as they lifted up into the air and started for their destination...

--

"So, she's left on a new air ship?...Where do they plan on going?" Cid asked the cloaked figure, kneeling before him.

"They headed west, leaving out continent." The man told Cid, "Want me to bring her back?"

Cid stood and began to pace. Why had Eiko left? Could he really have made her so upset that she'd had enough? Or had she found out...

Anyway, she needed to return, so that she could marry that prince, who still had not showed up yet, and make the pact with Burmecia.

"Bring her back, unharmed." Cid told the man.

"And what of the guy traveling with her?"

"Do what you must to get her back." Cid answered, "I have my full faith in your capable hands that I will see my daughter in no time. Remember, you will be rewarded _very_ handsomely for your work. They still don't know you're working for me, right?"

"No, Baku and the others have no clue. It's all under wraps." The person answered.

"Good, we don't need _them_ involved in this little dilemma, now do we?" Cid asked, smirk upon his aged looking face.

"No, you can count on me." The man answered. "If that is all, Regent, I'll take your ship you've provided and go after them."

As the cloaked man turned to leave, Cid stopped him by placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Are you still interested in my _special_ offer?" Cid asked him.

"I've always been." He answered.

"If things go smoothly, that arrangement can be done quite quick. It all depends on how you handle getting her back." Cid purred.

"I assure you, the next time you see me, your daughter will be in tow." And with that said, the cloaked man left the Regent feeling confident on the safe return of his pawn, I mean, '_daughter_'.

--

"That was quick." Remarked Puck as the ship landed in front of the water pressure managed city.

"Lets go!" Smiled Eiko as she and the prince hopped down and went inside. Not much had changed, things were still wet as ever, but it seemed that fewer people were living there. Also, the folks there seemed frightened, but from what Puck and Eiko were clueless. Finally, Eiko broke down and asked one of the shop keepers why so few lived there now.

"Oh...I don't like to talk of it." The girl said, shaking slightly, "It seems that every time someone does, another goes missing..."

"What do you mean?" Asked the curious Eiko.

The shop keeper would tell them no more, so they were left on their own to find out what the heck was going on in Daguerreo. Eiko knew that she could get a stone from that little serpent wall in the middle of the city, so she headed over there to get one. When she reached the wall, she noticed something odd. Where a person was suppose to stand and receive a stone, a deep, big hole was in the way of getting one. Never the type to think about something before doing it, Eiko jumped right in the hole to see what it was all about.

There was a long fall before she hit the floor, of course, filled with water. She looked up to see Puck staring down at her.

"Come on down! Don't be a sissy!" She laughed as he glared at her.

"I'm not a sissy!" He yelled back, fidgeting slightly. "Is it dark down there?" He said, seeming to be worried slightly.

"Oh Buhumet's Bung hole! Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark!"

Puck frowned, "No..." Then with a sigh, jumped down into the hole.

Now with Puck beside her, Eiko began to follow the large tunnel beneath the city. "Sure is strange." Puck remarked.

"Afraid?" Smirked Eiko.

Puck only rolled his eyes at this little comment as they continued on. "Hey, have you noticed how the walls are really gory?" remarked Puck.

"Now that you mention it, those claw marks do look a bit suspicious." Eiko agreed as their eyes traveled the sides of the tunnel, "That's not blood is it?" Eiko asked.

"Not sure..." Puck said, beginning to wonder what Eiko had gotten them into, when a loud roar shook the ground and rippled the water they walked in.

"Get ready..." Puck spoke, a determined look upon his mug, "Don't think that sound is something friendly." He got out his blue sword and prepared for a possible battle.

Eiko slipped out her daggers and smiled confidently, "We can take em, whatever it is."

"Hope you're right about that..." Puck spoke as a huge serpent like creature with fangs long and slender hanging out of it's seemingly smiling mouth. The space was very cramped, so this battle was not going to be as easy as both companions would have liked.

The serpent lashed out first at Eiko who dodged it easily enough, but the snake broke in the left side of the tunnel.

"Shit, this place could collapse if it does that again." Cursed Puck under his breath. With a whispered word to his sword, his blade began to glow a blue flame once again and Puck charged at the best. Slicing the serpent in his right side, the monster let out a hiss of pain as it swung around, trying to sink its deadly fangs into Pucks flesh. Taking advantage of this, Eiko jumped upon it's back and began to climb towards its head. She would hit it right in the middle of its brain, that ought to stop it's movements for good.

She was taken off guard when the thing began to thrash about again and took her with it through the right side of the tunnel, she felt sharp, broken off stones slice at her vulnerable face as small streams of blood began to run off her cheek onto her shirt.

"Puck! Get out!" She yelled, over the loud rumble of the tunnle beginning to fully collapse. The damn snake was still thrashing madly, trying to get her off. She held on by digging in her daggers at the base of the head. She kept trying to climb up the head with her daggers, but this quick movement was just too crazy for her to handle. Great, while the tunnle was crumbling down and Puck was no where to be seen, Eiko would be left here to die with the damn snake.

"Mog, help me!" Eiko yelled to herself as she closed her eyes and held on for the ride of her life.

Puck had jumped onto the quick moving serpent, bent on getting Eiko before getting crushed themselves, when he noticed something new coming at them.

"Damn it! Not another monster!" Puck cursed as he climbed up to Eiko's tired and beaten body. Reaching her just in time to see the new monster getting ready to throw one hell of a magic punch at the serpent, Puck jumped with her in his arms, and felt the heat of the creatures' attack upon his back. They fell hard to the ground, rolling a few meters before Puck righted himself and began to run like hell out of the almost fully caved in tunnel, having to dodge a falling wall here and jump over a hole there.

Reaching the opening they had come into the tunel, Puck jumped up and out of harms way. Or so he thought.

It seemed that the tunnel beneath the city was the main support, so now the city itself was falling in. Puck watched as all the city folk began to hurry to the exit, him included. Some were not as lucky and were smashed beneath falling stones on their run to freedom. It was with sheer luck that he made it out of there alive.

Now out in the fresh air, Puck laid Eiko down on the grass and turned to look at the crumbled city of Daguerreo. With a sad shake of his head, he turned his attention back on Eiko to see how she was doing. She appeared to have cuts along her face, and bruses on her arms, but nothing too serious. Puck shook her shoulder slightly, calling her name, trying to wake her from unconsiousness.

--

"How did this happen to your city?" A cloaked newcomer asked the shop keeper.

"This man and woman came and went to kill the monster that had been taking our people for the past year, and I guess the monster thrashed about so much, that our city began to crumble." The girl answered.

"Where did they go?" The person asked.

"Not completely sure, the woman talked about seeing a bunch of moogles, what ever _that_ means I couldn't tell you."

The cloaked figure nodded its head and turned from the ruined city, back to his air ship. He knew where they were headed next, hopefully this time he'd catch them before they left. He borded the ship and started the machine, "Madain Sari, here I come..."

--

**VashandNaomiForever: **Okay! So that's all for this chapter, slightly short, but longer one is in progress. Hope you liked it alright! Please R&R!


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